bertsell ireland



(No Model.)

A. B. IRELAND.

' REPEATING SPRING AIR GUN.

Patented Sept. 1

y timing 5 REM mQa m MLGW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

A. BERTSELL IRELAND, OF GREENE, NElV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ERFORD L. PAGE, OF SAME PLACE.

REPEATING SPRING AIR-GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,834, dated September 1, 1891.

Application filed March 9, 1891. Serial No. 384,296. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. BERTSELL IRELAND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Greene, in the county of Ohenango and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Repeating Air- Guns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to air-guns of the class in which the balls are fed one at-a time from a magazine parallel with the barrel into a transversely-reciprocating carrier, which conveys them into line with the barrel, through which they are driven by the force of air compressed by a spring-actuated piston.

The object of my invention is to producea cheap, simple, and effective apparatus for attaining these ends; and my invention consists in certain novel combinations and organizations of instrumentalities hereinafter speci- Unless otherwise indicated the parts are of ordinary construction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical central longitudinal section through my improved gun With the parts in the attitude assumed just after firing Fig. 2, a similar view of a portion of the same on an enlarged scale, with the parts in the position they assume when retracted to reload the gun. Fig.3 represents a vertical transverse section through the gun on the line 3 3, Fig. 1, looking forward. Fig. 4 is an end elevation showing the muzzle-slide. Fig. 5 1s a vertical longitudinal central section through the gun-stock, and Fig. (5 a vertical transverse section therethrough on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

The drawings show the stock proper A, cylinder B, and barrel 0, as formed from a single piece of wood. A longitudinal groove 0 is out in the barrel, extending as far back as the front wall 12 of the cylinder B. An open ended tube 0' of metal such as brassconstituting the gun-barrel proper, is inserted in this groove, which is then closed by a prop,

erly-shaped strip 0, glued or otherwise securely fastened therein. A second longitudinal groove 0 cut in the underside of the barrel, is correspondingly closed by a similar strip 0 leaving a longitudinal opening constituting a magazine o The muzzle of the gun is covered by a plate D, provided with vertical slots which transverse guideways cl to enable the plate to slide transversely to the bore of the gun. In its lowest position this plate covers the end of the magazine. It is also provided with a hole (1, which in the position last-above mentioned coincides with the bore of the gun. By sliding this plate the bore is closed, so as to prevent the ball from escaping, while at the same time the magazine is uncovered for the insertion of balls therein. The balls are shown as fed from the magazine by gravity; but the usual spring piston and slide may be employed for this purpose, if desired.

A slot 6 is bored transversely through the barrel, so as to intersect the rear. ends both of the barrel and magazine. A metallic tube E, closed at its upper end, but open at its lower, is driven into this slot. This tube is perforated transversely in the line of the bore of the barrel, and a corresponding perfora tion is made in its front wall in line with the magazine. A bolt or carrier-slide E has in it a transverse perforation traversing this tube, constituting a carrier for the balls. The front end of this carrier has a cavity sufficient to admit one ball at a time, the rear portion being of a smaller diameter, so as to prevent theballs from passingbackward therethrough, but leaves a passage for the compressed air when in line with the barrel. A spring E normally keeps the carrier depressed in line of the magazine, this depression being limited by a transverse pin 6 in the tube, against which shoulders on the flattened lower portion 6 of the carrier slide. There the slide is cylindrical, as here shown, this pin also prevents its turning, and thus keeps its trans verse opening in proper line with the magazine and barrel.

A longitudinal opening is bored from the rear in the central portion B of the stock toa point near the carrier-slot. A tube F, constituting the air-cylinder, is inserted in the front part of this opening, the front end of the tube being closed by a buffer-spring F, of rubber or other suitable material. An opening f in the line of the bore of the barrel extends through this buffer spring and through the partition and front wall I) of the central portion of the stock, so as to permit the air to pass freely therethrough to the carrier and barrel. A tubular piston G slides endwise in the cylinder F, being normally thrown forward by a spiral spring G, inclosed in the piston, the rear end of the spring encirclinga stud h on ablock H, closing the end of the cylinder. The upper portion of the rear end of the piston is cut away, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to render itlighter. A catchblock 9, secured on the under side of the piston, slides in a longitudinal guideway g in the stock. A catch-lever I, rocking on a central pivot 't', carries at its forward end a hook i, which engages with the catch-block g, when in its retracted position. A spring 2' prevents the disengagement of the latch until released by the trigger J, which rocks on a pivot j in a recess A in the under side of the stock. The piston is retracted by means of a link K, which is provided at its forward end with a hook 7t, engaging with the catch-block g, and provided with a transverse guide-pin 7a., sliding in the guideway g, above mentioned. The rear end of this link is pivoted to a guard-lever L, the rear end of which turns on apivot Zin the stock. The forward end of this lever, when swung up against the stock, strikes the protruding end of the car rier-slide and forces the carrier with the ball therein into the line of the bore of the barrel. The link is normally held in this position by friction-pins m on the stock.

The operation of the gun will readily be understood from the foregoing description. The balls are fed from the magazine one at a time into the carrier, which, by the upward movement of the guard L, is forced into line with the bore of the barrel, carrying one ball with it. A slight spring of well-known construction may be used in the front of the carrier or the rear of the bore of the barrel to prevent the premature escape of the ball. The depression of the front end of the guardlever then compresses the spring, and the catch-block on the piston engages with the catch-lever and is held in that position when the guard-lever is again closed against the barrel. The pulling of the trigger then releases the spring, which thrusts the piston forward, and the compressed air expels the ball from the barrel. The depression of the guard-lever releases the carrier-slide, which is thrown down by this spring to bring the carrier into line with the magazine to receive anotherball, when the carrier is again brought into line with the barrel by closing the guardlever up against the barrel, this operation being repeated as often as. desired.

The sliding muzzle-plate D enables me completely t0 fill the magazine from the muzzle end without lateral openings therein, while the organization of the carrier-slide is such that none of its working parts protrude through the stock, except the lower end, and that only for the instant that the shot is being received and transferred from the magazine to the barrel. The arrangement of the buffer-spring F inside the cylinder is advantageous, as it enables me to make it the full size of the cylinder-bore and to render it readily removable or replaceable. The organization of the piston and spring, as will be perceived, is such as to enable these parts within the stock, and consequentlyprotected from injury.

Having thus fully described the construction, organization, and operation of my improved magazine repeating spring air-gun, what I claim therein as new and as of my own invention is- 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a barrel-tube, a magazine-tube, and a transversely-moving muzzleplate normally covering the entrance to the magazine and provided with an opening corresponding with the barrel-tube when the magazine is closed.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a barrel-tube, a magazine, a transverse tube intersecting them, closed at the top and having perforations coincident with the bores of the barrel-tube and magazine, a carrier reciprocating in said transverse tube, a spring in said tube which normally tends to expel the carrier therefrom, and a stop holding the carrier in line with the magazine.

3. An airgun stock constructed substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a central longitudinal perforation open at its rear end, an air-cylinder inserted therein, a bu'ffer plug or spring filling the front end of said cylinder, an opening through said buffer-plug and the head of the cylinder in line with the bore of the barrel, and a breech block or plug closing the rear end of the perforation.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a stock, a longitudinal central perforation therein, a cylinder fitting said opening, a buffer plug or spring fitted in its forward end and provided with an opening therein in line with the bore of the barrel, a tubular piston reciprocating in the cylinder, a spiral spring inclosed therein, a block closing the rear end of the perforation, and a central internal stud or stem thereon encircled by the spring.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a barrel-tube, a magazine, a tube intersecting them having perforations therein coincident with their bores, a carrier reciprocating in said tube, a spring IOC IIO

therein which normally tends to force the carrier in line with the magazine, a stop limiting the movement of the carrier, a stock, an airoylinder therein, a bu [fer plug or spring closing the front end of the cylinder, an airpassage therethrough in the line of the bore of the barrel, a tubular piston, and a spiral actuating-spring inclosed therein.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a gun stock or butt having a longitudinal slot on its under side, a forearm connected therewith, an air-cylinder therein, a buffer plug or spring closing the front end of the cylinder, an air-passage therethrough in the line of the bore of the barrel, a tubular piston, a spiral actuating-spring inelosed therein, a catch-block on the piston, and a catch-lever rocking on a pivot in the stock and engaging with the catch-block to hold the piston in its retracted position.

7. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of an air-cylinder, its perforated buifer-plug, a tubular piston, its inclosed actuating-spring, its catch-block, a retracting-link engaging therewith, a guard-lever pivoted atits rear end in the stock and actuating the link, a rocking catch-lever engaging with the catch-block when retracted, and a trigger directly acting on the catch-1e ver to release it to fire the gun.-

8. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a barrel-tube, a magazine, a carrier sliding transversely thereto, a spring which normally holds the carrier in line with the magazine, an air-cylinder, a perforation through the head thereof in line with the bore of the barrel, a tubular aetuatingspring, a catch-block on the cylinder, a guard-lever pivoted at its rear end in the butt of the stock, a retracting-link pivoted on this lever and acting on the catch-block, and a latch which holds the piston in its retracted position.

9. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of abarrel-tube, a magazine, an intersecting perforated tube, a carrier reciprocating therein, a spring which normally tends to hold the carrier in line with the magazine, and a guard-lever pivoted at its rear end on the stock and adapted to swing upward and forward against the carrier to carry the ball from the magazine into the line of the barrel.

10. The combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, of an air-compressing eylinder, its tubular piston, its inclosed actuating-spring, its catch-block, a groove in the forearm or stock in which it slides, a retracting-link engaging at intervals with said catchbloek, its guide-pins traversing the slot, a guard-lever pivoted at its rear end in the stock, and a pivotal connection between the guard-lever and retracting-link, the organiza tion being such that the downward swing of the guard-lever retracts the piston, while the forward movement of the guard -link detaches it therefrom.

11, The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a barrel-tube, a magazine, a transverselyanoving spring-actuated carrier, an air-cylinder, a buffer-plug inserted therein, a perforation through said plug and the cylinder-head in line with the bore of the barrel, a tubular piston, its inclosed actuating-spring, its catch-block, a retracting-link engaging therewith, a g uard-lever with which it is connected, a rocking catch-lever engaging with the catch-block when retracted, and a trigger acting directly on the catch-lever.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

A. BERTSELL IRELAND.

Witnesses:

L. ROBINSON, OHAs. 0. BROWN. 

